Rewind to June 2006. A sunny, warm weekend, at the base of Wicklow mountains, in an idyllic village called Blessington, a few Kannadiga friends sat down for a Harate at Sunil Vasudev’s house.
OUR MISSION
Welcome to Ireland Kannada Sangha (IKS), a forum formed by Kannadigas living in Ireland. This forum aims to keep Kannada and its culture alive by bringing together us all together. Our Sangha has been active for more than fifteen years, ever since its humble formation. We have been growing in strength thanks to the increasing number of Kannadigas in Ireland and to the wonderful increase in families. Every year, we come together to celebrate festivals associated with Karnataka, our very own eclectic state in India. We meet on several occasions, including Ganesh Chaturthi and Kannada Rajyotsava. True to our culture and spirit, we celebrate with our families, our little ones, or elderly relatives and our spirited youth. We sing songs, dance to amazing music, play games, watch blockbuster movies that tickle our brains and hearts - all while filling our tummies with yummy Indian delicacies. Come join us and fill our gatherings with your enthusiasm and love. Feel free to browse through our website to know more about us, about what we do, and about our events. Please do help us with your suggestions, comments and goodwill so we can serve you and our community better. Remember, your support and our effort go hand-in-hand.
OUR HISTORY
In 2006, a handful of like-minded Kannadigas, mostly living in Dublin, came together to celebrate the first ever Kannada Rajyotsava in Ireland. Back then, it was the vision and effort of a few committed families and individuals that helped formed the Ireland Kannada Sangha. Our Sangha has now come a long way since 2006. We are now fortunate enough to have a dynamic cultural association. We are a bustling community with amazing talents and equally awe inspiring dedication from all our members. Although we do not have an elected committee, there is no shortage of volunteers who have been assisting and leading the activities of our Sangha. Our Sangha has been organising Ganesha Habba, Kannada Habba and Shri Satyanarayanaswamy Puja annually. Our Kannada Habba or Karnataka Rajyotsava, celebrated every November, is a great opportunity for our younger members to demonstrate their talent, carry our language and culture forward and make us all proud.
WHAT ELSE DO WE DO
Ireland has seen an increase in the number of Kannadigas moving here, be it for studies or for work. As a community, we have been actively trying to help and cater to the needs of our ever growing community. Our Sangha, thanks to all the volunteers, has been moderating discussion forums to help Students with their accommodation, food and helpful tips to strive in Ireland. Working professionals have and will continue to gain knowledge on visa, tax, finance and other related queries. Young families have been gaining helpful tips on schools, medical health, sports and other activities for their children.In future, IKS aims to provide our community with Sports Day, Ugadi celebrations as well as organize events like Family Day, DJ Night and so on.
WHAT WE NEED
Our Sangha requests you for your continued support and feedback, to help us achieve our goal of integrating us further. We request you to guide us in making our Sangha more vibrant, educational and fun.